Single Atom-Dispersed Silver Incorporated in ZIF-8-Derived Porous Carbon for Enhanced Photothermal Activity and Antibacterial Activities.

Purpose: Recently, Single-atom-loaded carbon-based material is a new environmentally friendly and stable photothermal antibacterial nanomaterial. It is still a great challenge to achieve single-atom loading on carbon materials. Materials and Methods: Herein, We doped single-atom Ag into ZIF-8-derived porous carbon to obtain Ag-doped ZIF-8-derived porous carbon(AgSA-ZDPC). The as-prepared samples were characterized by XRD, XPS, FESEM, EDX, TEM, and HAADF-STEM which confirmed that the single-atom Ag successfully doped into the porous carbon. Further, the photothermal properties and antimicrobial activity of AgSA-ZDPC have been tested. Results: The results showed that the temperature increased by 30 °C after near-infrared light irradiation(1 W/cm2) for 5 min which was better than ZIF-8-derived porous carbon(ZDPC). It also exhibits excellent photothermal stability after the laser was switched on and off 5 times. When the AgSA-ZDPC concentration was greater than 50 µg/mL and the near-infrared irradiation was performed for 5 min, the growth inhibition of S. aureus and E. coli was almost 100%. Conclusion: This work provides a simple method for the preparation of single-atom Ag-doped microporous carbon which has potential antibacterial application.

Jamming of Miscible Liquids via Electrostatic Repulsion Between Polystyrene-Modified Gold Nanorods and Toluene.

Structured liquids in miscible fluids, due to ineffective resistance to withstand particle self-diffusion, differ from that in immiscible liquids because of interfacial interactions. Here, a kind of structured liquid, jammed by thiol-terminated polystyrene-modified gold nanorods (GNRs) within tetrahydrofuran and toluene (TOL), is developed by introducing electrostatic repulsion to counterbalance the self-diffusion of GNRs. First-principle calculations reveal charge transfer between the GNRs and TOL, resulting in the electrostatic repulsion. The structured liquids can be regarded as mimic "loading vehicles" to controllably carry and transport matter under electric or magnetic fields, where release rate can be adjusted by changing the concentration of the soluble matter for slow release and using the photothermal effect of the assembled GNRs for fast release. This work has developed a new assembly mechanism to form structured liquids, allowing the construction of a flexible and robust droplet platform with possible applications in microreactors, biomimetic permeable membranes, and functional liquid robots.

Minimal change disease associated with thyroid cancer: a case report.

A patient complaining of edema of the face and lower extremities was admitted to the nephrology department for nephrotic syndrome. Renal biopsy revealed findings of minimal change disease (MCD). Thyroid ultrasound showed a hypoechoic 16 × 13 mm nodule in the right lobe, suspicious of malignancy. Later, total thyroidectomy confirmed the diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). After surgery, MCD remitted rapidly and completely, strongly suggesting the diagnosis of MCD secondary to PTC. We report here the first adult case of the paraneoplastic finding of MCD secondary to PTC. Additionally, we discuss the possible role of the BRAF gene in the pathophysiology of PTC-associated MCD in this case and highlight the importance of tumor screening.

Impact of deep learning image reconstruction algorithms on CT radiomic features in patients with liver tumors.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of deep learning image reconstruction (DLIR) and adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction-Veo (ASIR-V) on abdominal CT radiomic features acquired in portal venous phase in liver tumor patients. Methods: Sixty patients with liver tumors who underwent contrast-enhanced abdominal CT were retrospectively enrolled. Six groups including filtered back projection (FBP), ASIR-V (30%, 70%) and DLIR at low (DLIR-L), medium (DLIR-M and high (DLIR-H), were reconstructed using portal venous phase data. CT-based radiomic features (first-order, texture and wavelet features) were extracted from 2D and 3D liver tumors, peritumor and liver parenchyma. All features were analyzed for comparison. P < 0.05 indicated statistically different. The consistency of 3D lesion feature extraction was assessed by calculating intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: Different reconstruction algorithms influenced most radiomic features. The percentages of first-order, texture and wavelet features without statistical difference among 2D and 3D lesions, peritumor and liver parenchyma for all six groups were 27.78% (5/18), 5.33% (4/75) and 5.56% (1/18), respectively (all p > 0.05), and they decreased while the level of reconstruction strengthened for both ASIR-V and DLIR. Compared with FBP, the features of ASIR-V30% and 70% without statistical difference decreased from 71.31% to 23.95%, and DLIR-L, DLIR-M, and DLIR-H decreased from 31.65% to 27.11% and 23.73%. Among texture features, unaffected features of peritumor were larger than those of lesions and liver parenchyma, and unaffected 3D lesions features were larger than those of 2D lesions. The consistency of 3D lesion first-order features was excellent, with intra- and inter-observer ICCs ranging from 0.891 to 0.999 and 0.880 to 0.998. Conclusions: Both ASIR-V and DLIR algorithms with different strengths influenced the radiomic features of abdominal CT images in portal venous phase, and the influences aggravated as reconstruction strength increased.

ZnT8 Exerts Anti-apoptosis of Kidney Tubular Epithelial Cell in Diabetic Kidney Disease Through TNFAIP3-NF-κB Signal Pathways.

Apoptosis of kidney tubular epithelial cells contributes to diabetic kidney disease (DKD) pathophysiology, but the mechanisms are not fully understood. Zinc transporter protein member 8 (ZnT8, SLC30A8) is a susceptive gene in diabetes. Here, we aim to investigate whether ZnT8 has effects on pathophysiology of DKD. The animal groups include control, ZnT8KO mice, STZ-induced, and ZnT8-KO-STZ. STZ-induced DKD was performed in male C57BL/6 J mice and in ZnT8-KO mice. High glucose (HG)-induced apoptosis in a normal rat kidney tubular epithelial cell line (NRK-52E cells) was performed in vitro. Transfection of hZnT8-EGFP or TNFAIP3 siRNA was done in NRK-52E cells. Flow cytometry with Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining and TUNEL analysis was performed for the detection of apoptosis. Gene expression at mRNA and protein levels was examined with real-time RT-PCR and Western blot. Urine albumin to creatinine ratio, proinflammatory cytokines, and apoptosis were enhanced in kidneys of STZ and ZnT8-KO-STZ mice compared to control or ZnT8-KO mice. ZnT8 overexpression after hZnT8-EGFP transfection decreased HG-stimulated inflammatory activity and apoptosis in NRK-52E cells. Furthermore, treatment with ZnSO4 blunted HG-induced apoptosis and NF-κB activation. ZnSO4 increased the abundance of zinc-finger protein TNF-α-induced protein 3 (TNFAIP3). Also, ZnT8 over-expression after hZnT8-EGFP transfection significantly ameliorates HG-induced NF-κB-dependent transcriptional activity and apoptotic protein expressions in NRK-52E cells, but the inhibitory effect of ZnT8 was significantly abolished with TNFAIP3 siRNA. Our study provides evidence that ZnT8 has protective effects against apoptosis of renal tubular epithelial cells through induction of TNFAIP3 and subsequent suppression of the NF-κB pathway.

Bio-Inspired Pangolin Design for Self-Healable Flexible Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes.

Despite tremendous developments in the luminescene performance of perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs), the brittle nature of perovskite crystals and their poor crystallinity on flexible substrates inevitably lead to inferior performance. Inspired by pangolins' combination of rigid scales and soft flesh, we propose a bionic structure design for self-healing flexible PeLEDs by employing a polymer-assisted crystal regulation method with a soft elastomer of diphenylmethane diisocyanate polyurethane (MDI-PU). The crystallinity and flexural strain resistance of such perovskite films on plastics with silver-nanowire-based flexible transparent electrodes are highly enhanced. The detrimental cracks induced during repeated deformation can be effectively self-healed under heat treatment via intramolecular/intermolecular hydrogen bonds with MDI-PU. Upon collective optimization of the perovskite films and device architecture, the blue-emitting flexible PeLEDs can achieve a record external quantum efficiency of 13.5% and high resistance to flexural strain, which retain 87.8 and 80.7% of their initial efficiency after repeated bending and twisting operations of 2000 cycles, respectively.

How Hole Injection Accelerates Both Ion Migration and Nonradiative Recombination in Metal Halide Perovskites.

Ion migration, hole trapping, and electron-hole recombination are common processes in metal halide perovskites. We demonstrate using ab initio non-adiabatic molecular dynamics and time-domain density functional theory that they are intricately related and strongly influence each other. The hole injection accelerates ion migration by decreasing the diffusion barrier and shortening the migration length. The injected hole also promotes the nonradiative charge recombination by strengthening electron-phonon interactions in the low-frequency region and prolonging the quantum coherence time. The synergy stems from the soft perovskite lattice and response of the valence band maximum to the Pb-I lattice distortion induced by the hole. This work provides important insights into the influence of ion mobility and hole injection on the performance of perovskite solar cells and suggests that high concentration of holes should be avoided.

Interfacial "Anchoring Effect" Enables Efficient Large-Area Sky-Blue Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes.

While tremendous progress has recently been made in perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs), large-area blue devices feature inferior performance due to uneven morphologies and vast defects in the solution-processed perovskite films. To alleviate these issues, a facile and reliable interface engineering scheme is reported for manipulating the crystallization of perovskite films enabled by a multifunctional molecule 2-amino-1,3-propanediol (APDO)-triggered "anchoring effect" at the grain-growth interface. Sky-blue perovskite films with large-area uniformity and low trap states are obtained, showing the distinctly improved radiative recombination and hole-transport capability. Based on the APDO-induced interface engineering, synergistical boost in device performance is achieved for large-area sky-blue PeLED (measuring at 100 mm2 ) with a peak external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 9.2% and a highly prolonged operational lifetime. A decent EQE up to 6.1% is demonstrated for the largest sky-blue device emitting at 400 mm2 .

Effects of Curcumin on High Glucose-Induced Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Renal Tubular Epithelial Cells Through the TLR4-NF-κB Signaling Pathway.

OBJECTIVE: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a microvascular complication in diabetes mellitus, while tubuloepithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) of mature tubular epithelial cells is a key point in the early development and progression of renal interstitial fibrosis. The present study aimed to investigate the protective effects of Curcumin on EMT and fibrosis in cultured normal rat kidney tubular epithelial cell line (NRK-52E). METHODS: By using immunofluorescence staining and Western blot protocols, in vitro experiments were designed to analyze EMT markers, including collagen I and E-cadherin in high glucose (HG) exposed NRK-52E cells and to detect the expression levels of phosphorylated-NF-κB, TLR4 and reactive oxygen species (ROS) after Curcumin pre-treatment. With co-treatment with TAK242, these molecules in the TLR4-NF-κB signaling pathway were further evaluated. RESULTS: Curcumin decreased the HG-induced EMT levels and ROS production in NRK-52E cells. Furthermore, Curcumin was found to inhibit the TLR4-NF-κB signaling activation in HG-induced EMT of NRK-52E cells. CONCLUSION: The present study provides evidence suggesting a novel mechanism that Curcumin exerts the anti-fibrosis effects via inhibiting activation of the TLR4-NF-κB signal pathway and consequently protecting the HG-induced EMT in renal tubular epithelial cells. Thereby, TLR4-NF-κB may be a useful target for therapeutic intervention in DKD.

Surface-induced phase engineering and defect passivation of perovskite nanograins for efficient red light-emitting diodes.

Organic-inorganic hybrid lead halide perovskites are potential candidates for next-generation light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in terms of tunable emission wavelengths, high electroluminescence efficiency, and excellent color purity. However, the device performance is still limited by severe non-radiative recombination losses and operational instability due to a high degree of defect states on the perovskite surface. Here, an effective surface engineering method is developed via the assistance of guanidinium iodide (GAI), which allows the formation of surface-2D heterophased perovskite nanograins and surface defect passivation due to the bonding with undercoordinated halide ions. Efficient and stable red-emission LEDs are realized with the improved optoelectronic properties of GAI-modified perovskite nanograins by suppressing the trap-mediated non-radiative recombination loss. The champion device with a high color purity at 692 nm achieves an external quantum efficiency of 17.1%, which is 2.3 times that of the control device. Furthermore, the operational stability is highly improved, showing a half-lifetime of 563 min at an initial luminance of 1000 cd m-2. The proposed GAI-assisted surface engineering is a promising approach for defect passivation and phase engineering in perovskite films to achieve high-performance perovskite LEDs.

Co2P@N,P-Codoped Carbon Nanofiber as a Free-Standing Air Electrode for Zn-Air Batteries: Synergy Effects of CoNx Satellite Shells.

Here, a free-standing electrode composed of cobalt phosphides (Co2P) supported by cobalt nitride moieties (CoNx) and an N,P-codoped porous carbon nanofiber (CNF) in one-step electrospinning of environmentally friendly benign phosphorous precursors is reported. Physiochemical characterization revealed the symbiotic relationship between a Co2P crystal and surrounding nanometer-sized CoNx moieties embedded in an N,P-codoped porous carbon matrix. Co2P@CNF shows high oxygen reduction reaction and oxygen evolution reaction performance owing to the synergistic effect of Co2P nanocrystals and the neighboring CoNx moieties, which have the optimum binding strength of reactants and facilitate the mass transfer. The free-standing Co2P@CNF air-cathode-based Zn-air batteries deliver a power density of 121 mW cm-2 at a voltage of 0.76 V. The overall overpotential of Co2P@CNF-based Zn-air batteries can be significantly reduced, with low discharge-charge voltage gap (0.81 V at 10 mA cm-2) and high cycling stability, which outperform the benchmark Pt/C-based Zn-air batteries. The one-step electrospinning method can serve as a universal platform to develop other high-performance transition-metal phosphide catalysts benefitting from the synergy effect of transition nitride satellite shells. The free-standing and flexible properties of Co2P@CNF make it a potential candidate for wearable electronic devices.

Electrochemically Synthesis of Nickel Cobalt Sulfide for High-Performance Flexible Asymmetric Supercapacitors.

A lightweight, flexible, and highly efficient energy management strategy is highly desirable for flexible electronic devices to meet a rapidly growing demand. Herein, Ni-Co-S nanosheet array is successfully deposited on graphene foam (Ni-Co-S/GF) by a one-step electrochemical method. The Ni-Co-S/GF composed of Ni-Co-S nanosheet array which is vertically aligned to GF and provides a large interfacial area for redox reactions with optimum interstitials facilitates the ions diffusion. The Ni-Co-S/GF electrodes have high specific capacitance values of 2918 and 2364 F g-1 at current densities of 1 and 20 A g-1, respectively. Using such hierarchical Ni-Co-S/GF as the cathode, a flexible asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) is further fabricated with polypyrrple(PPy)/GF as the anode. The flexible asymmetric supercapacitors have maximum operation potential window of 1.65 V, and energy densities of 79.3 and 37.7 Wh kg-1 when the power densities are 825.0 and 16100 W kg-1, respectively. It's worth nothing that the ASC cells have robust flexibility with performance well maintained when the devices were bent to different angles from 180° to 15° at a duration of 5 min. The efficient electrochemical deposition method of Ni-Co-S with a preferred orientation of nanosheet arrays is applicable for the flexible energy storage devices.

Pharmacological characterisation and functional roles for egg-laying of a ß-adrenergic-like octopamine receptor in the brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens.

Octopamine, the invertebrate counterpart of adrenaline and noradrenaline, controls and modulates many physiological and behavioral processes in protostomes. It mediates its effects by binding to specific receptors belonging to the superfamily of G-protein coupled receptors. We report the cloning of a cDNA from the brown planthopper (Nloa2b2) sharing high similarity with members of the OA2B2 receptor class. Activation of NlOA2B2 by octopamine increased the production of cAMP in a dose-dependent manner (EC50 = 114 nM). Tyramine also activated the receptor but with much less potency than octopamine. Using a series of known agonists and antagonists of octopamine receptors and cAMP measurements, we observed a rather unique pharmacological profile of NlOA2B2. The potency ranking of the tested agonists was naphazoline > clonidine. The activated effect of octopamine is abolished by co-incubation with epinastine, mianserin, phentolamine, methiothepin, butaclamol or methysergide. Nloa2b2 was expressed in different developmental stages and in various tissues including female reproductive regions known to be involved in egg-laying behavior. Using in vivo pharmacology and RNAi methodology, we demonstrated that interference of NlOA2B2 signaling pathway had a strong impact on the egg-laying behavior of female brown planthopper. The data presented here mark the first comprehensive study-from gene to behavior-of a OA2B2 receptor in the rice brown planthopper.

Transcatheter intervention in a child with scimitar syndrome.

Scimitar syndrome is a rare congenital heart disease characterised by anomalous pulmonary venous drainage to the inferior vena cava, aortopulmonary collaterals, hypoplasia of the right lung and intracardiac defects. Surgical correction remains the gold-standard therapy. However, non-surgical intervention has been reported effective in selected cases with scimitar syndrome. We report on a one-year-old boy with scimitar syndrome who underwent stepwise transcatheter intervention as an alternative treatment. Embolisation of the aortopulmonary collaterals and occlusion of the atrial septal defect were performed using detachable coils and an Amplatzer septal occluder, respectively. The patient's postcathetherisation course was uneventful. The right cardiac chamber and pulmonary arterial pressure returned to normal during follow up.

Silencing miR-106b improves palmitic acid-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and insulin resistance in skeletal myocytes.

MicroRNA­106b (miR­106b) is reported to correlate closely with skeletal muscle insulin resistance. In the current study the effect of miR­106b on palmitic acid (PA)­induced mitochondrial dysfunction and insulin resistance was investigated in C2C12 myotubes via the silencing of miR­106b. MiR­106b expression was increased under PA treatment, while miR­106b loss of function improved insulin sensitivity by upregulating its target mitofusin­2 (Mfn2) in C2C12 myocytes. Furthermore, miR­106b loss of function partly improved mitochondrial morphological lesions and increased the levels of mitochondial DNA and intracellular adenosine triphosphate that had been impaired by PA exposure in C2C12 myocytes. MiR­106b loss of function attenuated the levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and upregulated the expression levels of the estrogen­related receptor (ERR)­α/peroxisome proliferative activated receptor γ coactivator (PGC)­1α/Mfn2 axis under PA exposure. In addition, miR­106b negatively regulated skeletal muscle mitochondrial function and insulin sensitivity under PA­induced insulin resistance by targeting Mfn2, which may be associated with reduced ROS and upregulation of the ERR­α/PGC­1α/Mfn2 axis.

MicroRNA-106b induces mitochondrial dysfunction and insulin resistance in C2C12 myotubes by targeting mitofusin-2.

MicroRNA-106b (miR-106b) is reported to correlate closely with skeletal muscle insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to identify an mRNA targeted by miR-106b which regulates skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity. MiR-106b was found to target the 3' untranslated region (3' UTR) of mitofusin-2 (Mfn2) through miR-106b binding sites and to downregulate Mfn2 protein abundance at the post-transcriptional level by luciferase activity assay combined with mutational analysis and immunoblotting. Overexpression of miR-106b resulted in mitochondrial dysfunction and insulin resistance in C2C12 myotubes. MiR-106b was increased in insulin-resistant cultured C2C12 myotubes induced by TNF-α, and accompanied by increasing Mfn2 level, miR-106b loss of function improved mitochondrial function and insulin sensitivity impaired by TNF-α in C2C12 myotubes. In addition, both overexpression and downregulation of miR-106b upregulated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator (PGC)-1α and estrogen-related receptor (ERR)-α expression. MiR-106b targeted Mfn2 and regulated skeletal muscle mitochondrial function and insulin sensitivity. Therefor, Inhibition of miR-106b may be a potential new strategy for treating insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

Serum microRNAs levels in primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.

BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRNAs, miRs) are involved in most physiological, developmental, and pathological processes. miR-192 and miR-205 are expressed preferentially in the renal cortex and closely relevant to the renal cell biology. In the present study, we aim to measure the serum levels of miR-192 and miR-205 and their correlation with clinicopathological data in patients with primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and minimal change disease (MCD). METHODS: Fifty-six patients (35 male, 21 female) with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (FSGS 30, MCD 26) and 20 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. We quantified the serum levels of miR-192 and miR-205 in patients with FSGS and MCD by RT-qPCR. RESULTS: Patients with FSGS had higher serum levels of miR-192 and miR-205 than those with MCD (324.49 ± 42.74 fmol/l versus 90.19 ± 27.14 fmol/l, p < 0.01, 2.25 ± 0.69 fmol/l versus 0.60 ± 0.51 fmol/l, p < 0.01, respectively). The level of miR-192 was positively correlated with the proteinuria in patients with FSGS and MCD (r = 0.62, p < 0.001, r = 0.84, p < 0.001, respectively). Similarly, the level of miR-205 was positively correlated with the proteinuria in patients with FSGS (r = 0.54, p = 0.002). In addition, the serum level of miR-192 was significantly correlated with the degree of interstitial fibrosis in patients with FSGS (r = 0.342, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: miR-192 and miR-205 have the potential as markers to differentiate FSGS from MCD.

Increased serum and urinary microRNAs in children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome.

BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are present in body fluids and may have the potential to serve as disease biomarkers. This study explored the clinical value of miRNAs in serum and urine as biomarkers for idiopathic childhood nephrotic syndrome (NS). METHODS: We obtained serum samples from 159 NS children (24 steroid resistant and 135 steroid sensitive), 109 age/sex-matched healthy controls and 44 children with other kidney diseases. Serum miRNAs were analyzed with the TaqMan Low Density Array and then validated with a quantitative reverse-transcription PCR assay with 126 individual samples. Moreover, we collected paired serum samples from 50 patients before and after treatment to determine the value of these miRNAs for condition assessment. In addition, urine samples from these patients were examined for candidate miRNAs. RESULTS: The concentrations of serum miR-30a-5p, miR-151-3p, miR-150, miR-191, and miR-19b were highly increased in NS children compared with controls (P < 0.0001). The urinary miR-30a-5p concentration was also increased in NS (P = 0.001). The area under the ROC curve and the odds ratio for the combined 5 serum miRNAs were 0.90 (95% CI, 0.86-0.94; P < 0.0001) and 40.7 (95% CI, 6.06-103; P < 0.0001), respectively. Moreover, the concentrations of the 5 serum miRNAs and urinary miR-30a-5p markedly declined with the clinical improvement of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: We determined that 5 distinct serum miRNAs and urinary miR-30a-5p were increased in NS children. These circulating or urinary miRNAs may represent potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for idiopathic pediatric NS.

Intranasal delivery of nerve growth factor attenuates aquaporins-4-induced edema following traumatic brain injury in rats.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains the leading cause of injury-related death and disability. Brain edema, one of the most major complications of TBI, contributes to elevated intracranial pressure, and poor prognosis following TBI. Nerve growth factor (NGF) appears to be a viable strategy to treat brain edema and TBI. Unfortunately, due to its poor blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability, the clinical application of NGF has been greatly limited. We previously demonstrated that intranasal NGF could bypass the BBB and distribute throughout the brain. Here we further studied whether intranasal NGF could attenuate TBI-induced brain edema and its putative mechanisms. TBI was produced by a modified weight-drop model. We found that intranasal administration of NGF (5µg/d) attenuated the brain edema, as assayed by hemisphere water content, at 12h, 24h and 72h after TBI induction. This attenuation was associated with a prominent decrease of the content of aquaporin-4, which plays a pivotal role in the formation of brain edema. By the use of RT-PCR and ELISA, we showed that intranasal NGF markedly inhibited the transcription and expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-1ß and TNF-α. An electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) displayed a significant activation of nuclear factor-κB following TBI, which was, however, much lowered in the NGF-treated rats. Furthermore, upon intranasal NGF supplementation, mitochondria-mediated apoptosis following TBI was minimized, as indicated by upregulation of Bcl-2 and downregulation of caspase-3. Collectively, our findings suggested that intranasal NGF may be a promising strategy to treat brain edema and TBI.

Elevated serum ß2-GPI-Lp(a) complexes levels in children with nephrotic syndrome.

BACKGROUND: The complexes of ß2-glycoprotein I (ß2-GPI) with lipoprotein(a) [ß2-GPI-Lp(a)] exist in human circulation and are increased in serum from patients with some autoimmune diseases. This study aims to investigate the concentration of ß2-GPI-Lp(a) in serum of children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (NS) and its relationship with serum lipids, oxidized lipoprotein and renal function parameters to explore the potential of the complexes as an additional marker for evaluating pediatric NS. METHODS: Serum concentrations of ß2-GPI-Lp(a) complexes and oxidized Lp(a) [ox-Lp(a)] were measured by "Sandwich" ELISAs in 80 NS children and 82 age/sex-matched healthy controls. The levels of serum lipids and kidney parameters were also determined. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify correlate of ß2-GPI-Lp(a) and NS. RESULTS: The serum concentrations of ß2-GPI-Lp(a) complexes in children with NS were significantly higher than those in controls (median 0.95 U/ml vs 0.28 U/ml, P<0.0001). Ox-Lp(a) levels were also markedly elevated (median 14.55 mg/l vs 2.60 mg/l, P<0.0001] in NS children. The concentrations of ß2-GPI-Lp(a) were positively correlated with ox-Lp(a) (r=0.246, P=0.028), but not with Lp(a) level, and the concentrations of ox-Lp(a) were positively related with Lp(a) (r=0.301, P=0.007) in NS children. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified a positive association between NS and ß2-GPI-Lp(a) (OR=13.694, 95% CI 6.400-29.299, P<0.0001), after adjusting for kidney function parameters, serum lipids and ox-Lp(a). CONCLUSIONS: Elevated ß2-GPI-Lp(a) level was an independent and significant risk factor for pediatric NS and, enhanced Lp(a) oxidation partly contributes to the formation of ß2-GPI-Lp(a) complexes.